cookies for my bubbe

There is something about spending time with my family that is just so wonderful, it is hard to put into words. Something about the comfort of being with the people who know you best, the happiness of hanging out with people who know just how to make you laugh, and the absurdity and silliness that inevitably define a family gathering; these things are so special. I am very lucky to have a wonderful family, including my parents, sister, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Everyone is totally silly, crazy and wonderful in their own ways, and I love being around them. Though we are all spread out throughout the country, when coming together on holidays, family events, or vacation, we always have a great time.

Last weekend, I flew down to Florida, where I met my mom, dad, and sister at my grandparents house. My Bubbe and Poppop live on a beautiful little island off the Southwest coast of Florida called Sanibel. If you've never heard of Sanibel Island (which chances are, you haven't), I highly recommend you check it out. It is a tiny island, where the majority of the land is conservation land, meaning no one can build on the land. So basically, this means that there are no street lights, no traffic lights, no high-rise buildings, lots of beautiful lush greenery, and lots of cool animals roaming around (seriously, there are alligators in the lagoon behind my grandparents' house). At night, you can see the stars, and during the day relaxation flows through the island. My grandparents have been going down to Sanibel for over 20 years, and so have I.

the beautiful sanibel

My Bubbe and Poppop are moving, so we spent the weekend going through their house, remembering old memories, and laughing at some of the silly things we found lurking in cabinets and closets. Though the purpose of the trip was to get packing done, it was still a great weekend. My grandparents are wonderful people, amazingly active, and always so happy to have us visit. My mom and I cooked a few delicious dinners for all of us, which we enjoyed over discussion of family history, current events, and everything in between.

My sister and I decided to bake cookies one night, and we knew exactly what our cookies needed to have in them: peanut butter and chocolate. Peanut butter and chocolate are my Bubbe's two favorites (my sister's as well). We threw together an easy and delicious batter and as the cookies baked, their house filled with an amazing aroma. After dinner everyone enjoyed the cookies (okay, and before too- my poppop had one before and one after dinner), but what I enjoyed most was making my grandparents happy. If you are as fortunate as I am to have such amazing Bubbes, Poppops, Nannas, Zeydehs, Mumums, Grandpas (or whatever you might have), as me, let them know how much you love them. Sometimes the coolest people in our lives are those who have experienced the most in their lives. These cookies are for my Bubbe, and I'd gladly make them again for her any day.


Chocolate Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

YUM.

3/4 cup gf flour mix (or all purpose flour will work here)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/8 cup (plus a little extra for good measure) creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 one large egg (confusing, I know- crack the egg, beat it, and use half of that)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp milk
1 cup chopped frozen peanut butter cups
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

my sister gives the thumbs up

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt
In a separate bowl beat together the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar until they start to cream and become light and fluffy (this should take about 1-2 minutes with a mixer, 4 or so minutes by hand)
Into the bowl with the sugars and butter, mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and milk, blending until smooth
Add in the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated
Fold in the chocolate chips and the majority of the peanut butter cups (saving a small handful to top the cookies with)
Onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drop rounds of dough onto the sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart (they will expand a bit); there should be about a dozen good sized cookies
Before placing into the oven, press a few pieces of peanut butter cups into the top of each ball of dough
Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes and allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 8 minutes before finishing the cooling process on a wire rack
Enjoy!

cookies...

and paradise.